GrantCountyPatriot

Maybe the state should consider adopting the Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR's) They are one of a few processes the fed ever developed, that when followed, provide organization to the procurement process. An investigation might also determine that many involved in the state contracting process are not well trained or qualified.

Patriot2192

Who was the CTO or CIO managing this acquisition? I recall Tomblin appointing a female to that position from the private sector some time ago. You design a network first by I deifying user and facility requirements. Not from the edge to the user. Routers are life cycle hardware. Cisco routinely publishes a list of hardware to include routers that is end of life, end of sale and end of support. So for Sen. Manchin to say it was a long term investment is ridiculous. You must be prepared to pay annual maintenance on the routers and have a life cycle refer plan in place. Where was all that planning? Somebody should be held accountable from the CTO/CIO, Procurement or Acquisition office and the Governor as well. Can you say Manchin?

Patriot2192

Grant County Patriot you are right on target. I can't believe they have set the review and approval threshold at $250K. That's absurd. It should be set at $3K. The FAR and it's regs would serve the state well. But then how would the good ole boys ever be able to pay homage to their business friends and PAC's. This is just more BS from the great state of Kanawha.

Bornandraised

The router purchase was a total debacle, I have no doubt about it. I just wonder how much more time and money will be spent to review every purchase that now falls into this category. Instead of punishing those responsible, they make new rules which punish everyone, including the taxpayers. I'm a federal employee, and I can say that in some instances, the FAR has cost taxpayers tons of money in reviews and red tape. Case in point, a vendor offers specialized services regarding their product, but the FAR requires a third party actually sell those services to the government, that third party marks up the services 25%, to connect the vendor with the agency, even though the connection already existed. I'm not saying that the FAR is terrible, it probably has saved far more than it has cost, but perhaps it's time for some tweaks? Why can't we take bids directly from the vendors?

Sandpiper

Males are to blame for violence. Want proof? Just look at Newtown. So says the CAV in a story about their latest grant awards. The article doesn’t permit comments. Gee, I wonder why. Anyway, I find it incredibly interesting that blaming males is the CAV’s take. And I suppose that’s true. Males commit most violent crime. But most males don’t use violence illicitly. Thus, targeting ALL males, especially young ones, for the CAV’s training program is nonsensical. Are we to teach our military and police that violence solves nothing? I’m all for it if our enemies and street thugs disarm first. This is a silly, feel-good program without a snowball’s chance of success. One other thing. Males only outnumber females for violence if abortion is not a factor. But that's not violent--unless you're the baby.

Sandpiper

The journal is turning off the comment switch on more and more stories. That's too bad, especially when stories concern our so-called public servants. Personally, I wouldn't give a plug nickle for the views or skewed views of any of The Jornal's reporters or those of the writers of the AP sories the paper carries.

BeepBeep

" unlike the private sector gubment can make these mistakes over and over and over..." unlike the private sector government cannot take the profits and leave the losses to someone else. Seems corporations too big to fail keep on keeping on.

unsilentmajority

These are quotes from The San Francisco Chronicle, a paper on the other side of the country publishing a story about West Virginia, that you will not find in our local newspapers.

The Legislature created the Regional Education Service Agencies, or RESAs, in 1972. The eight offices were assigned to help the counties in their districts apply for grants and pool their purchasing power. Their duties also have included training staff and keeping computers running. .........this is complete bull. Resa has a history of corruption, waste and fraud. They are an unneeded organization that pretend to do a job that already exists, and is currently filled by someone. Paying two people to do the same job, and still failing at it is bureaucracy at its finest. Resa is a complete waste of taxpayers money. They also engage in fraudulent activity with the dhhr, another corrupt organization found to be wasting taxpayer money. .......more to follow.

unsilentmajority

Together, the RESAs have about 465 full-time employees this school year, according to Department of Education figures. One in four is a teacher; nearly as many are administrations. The agencies also have more than 100 support staffers, mostly teachers' aides and secretaries, and more than 80 listed as computer or electronic technicians. .........this says it all in my opinion. Are these 80 "computer techs" the ones responsible for the multi million dollar router mistake? 100 support staffers? Like secretaries? Don't our schools have those already? Yes, they do. One in four is a teacher, nearly as many are administrators. So for every teacher from resa, there is an administrator. That sounds efficient. We already have too many admins at every level of public education. Write Tomblin, tell hime is wrong, tell him you're tired of waste, tell him resa should be dismantled. Not built up.